Press Release (96)69 3 May 1996

PfP Workshop on the Use of Military and Civil Defence Assets (MCDA) in Disaster Relief Within the framework of the Partnership for Peace Programme, NATO will organise a Workshop with the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Austria on the Use of Military and Civil Defence Assets in Disaster Relief . This Workshop will be held at the Military Academy in Wiener Neustadt (Austria) from the 8th to 10th May 1996. The United Nations Project on the Use of Military and Civil Defence Assets in Disaster Relief (MCDA) is being executed in response to a United Nations General Assembly Resolution which founded the United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs and which requested the Department, inter-alia, to develop appropriate arrangements with interested Governments and inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations in order to ensure expeditious access, when necessary, to their emergency relief capacities, including food reserves, emergency stockpiles, personnel and logistic support. From the outset NATO has been involved in this project. More than 40 participants from NATO and Partner Nations and International Organisations such as the United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs (UN - DHA) and the Western European Union (WEU) will: discuss the Principles of the Use of Military and Civil Defence Assets (MCDA) in Disaster Relief; exchange national views and experience in the use of MCDA; learn about the rle of international organisations (UN-DHA, NATO and WEU) in International Disaster Relief Operations; and evaluate lessons learnt from MCDA operations and exercises. For further information please contact Mr. S.C. Orosz, NATO Civil Emergency Planning Directorate, (Intl +) 32 2 707.4143.